Stefano Domenicali on F1 and FIA working relationship: We must all grow together

Stefano Domenicali speaks to Martin Brundle — Photo: © LAT Images

F1 - FIA

Domenicali addresses ban on drivers speaking out and F1-FIA relationship

The CEO of F1 has been speaking about how the two organisations need to come together

Stuart Hodge

Monday 13 February 2023 17:04 Updated: 17:50

Stefano Domenicali insists that Formula 1 and the FIA need to work together to ensure the best for F1.

It follows a period of friction between the two organisations which was followed by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem stepping aside from his day-to-day role overseeing F1.

The 61-year-old had come under fire for a host of controversies and the FIA came under criticism for “gagging” Formula 1 drivers, after a ban was issued on making political statements that hadn’t been approved by the FIA.

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In recent years, drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have taken a lead on these matters, using their platform to promote positive causes and the grid was outraged at the ban on freedom of expression with many drivers coming out and criticising the move during the offseason.

Domenicali backed the drivers earlier on the day it was revealed Ben Sulayem would be standing aside and he has now qualified his remarks in a tell-all interview with Martin Brundle.

"We were the one with WeRaceAsOne to create discussion using our platform the right way,” The F1 President said. “I do not believe [it is about] preventing the driver from communicating with the community - it is a matter of respect.

"What I don't like, was when you want to say something to attack another one, that is wrong. But there is also respect for the partners you are working with. You need to be balanced.

"No one will put any barrier on that unless you're going to be political, because we're in a sport dimension, but to highlight the attention around certain subjects that are at the centre of discussion of today, that will be no problem in my opinion and I'm sure the FIA share that view.

"I would say there will be no change in what has been done in F1, giving the chance for us to talk about something more than the sport in the right way. There are places where you can do it, but there is respect for your partners."

Domenicali: FIA and F1 cannot 'fight one against the other'

Domenicali also addressed the simmering tensions between F1 and the FIA and insisted the two organisations have to co-operate collaboratively for the betterment of the sport as a whole.

"I don't [want it to seem] that we are here to fight one against the other," he said. "If this is the approach, it would be totally wrong. I will protect that because I have a bigger picture, I want to have a vision of the sport.

"I'm not an ego man, I want to make sure that we all grow together. Because it's such a unique opportunity to do that, it would be totally wrong to start to create castles around who is the best, who is the worst.

"I will never be involved in any kind of punching inside the scrum because that is not my role. I am bigger than that."

Domenicali believes increasing 'value' of F1 is vital

Domenicali also pointed to the need to work together to best increase the “value” of F1.

That particular comment seems to hint at Ben Sulayem’s remarks where he questioned the estimated $20 billion of F1 publicly on Twitter, a move that seemed to be the final straw for many.

“There is no secret to say that the key of success in all of sport is to have everyone doing his own job and making sure that we do it in the right way for the benefit of the growth of the sport,” Domenicali said. “Any kind of personalism, any kind of thing that is not helpful for that, it doesn't make any need to comment because, as I said, we have all the interest to make sure that our sport is growing.

“We have to do a better job as a commercial holder - the team, and the driver has to do their own job to make that in the right way - and the same is for the FIA. They have to deliver the job because everyone puts his credibility on the ends of the other, we are all united on that, if someone is not doing the right job, that will be a problem.”

“I think that we need to stay focused on what we believe is right for the growth of the sport. The value of the sport is growing, we should be all happy, because that means that we all are doing a great job.”

Domenicali will still be in touch with Ben Sulayem regularly and believes stepping back to let Nikolas Tombazis deal more with the day-to-day will increase his ability to take on a more strategic outlook, and the Italian says that will be helpful for F1.

“Of course, he is the President of the FIA, the president of the FIA is a big role,” he told Sky Sports. "I mean, he has many championships… and I think that this action will [help] to stay connected with the strategic level as it should be. There will be people running the day-by-day as we have in our organisation. So I'm expecting of course, as always to be in touch with him, in order to discuss the future of the sport for sure.”

Nielsen move a sign of working harmony

One of Domenicali’s right hand men, Steve Nielsen, recently left F1, vacating his position as Sporting Director to take up a similar position with the FIA. The former Ferrari boss feels that is indicative of the two organisations looking to come together moving forward.

“I think this is a sign once again, that we're working very close together, because it's important that we have people that are understanding, you know, the need for all of us to work for a great sport.

“We know that there has been a lot of discussion in that respect and that it is a very important to do a step forward. That will show once again that united we can do a greater job and that is the only way to go.”